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  1. #1931
    Senior Member AirborneSapper7's Avatar
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    “ZOMBIE INCIDENTS and EVENTS UPDATES” – Zombie Apocalypse, Parts 1, 2 and 3

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~“And except those days be shortened, there should no flesh be saved.”Matthew 24:22
    The Daily Beast is tracking news of instances that may be the precursor to a zombie apocalypse. Blue pins represent suspicious incidences or infections, while red pins represent acts of strange violence.
    Imagine the terra-terror when a Flash Mob - Black Awakening“ scenario occurs: “fear will fly.”
    Complete series:
    ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, Parts 1, 2 and 3 please click for pdf file.These essays can also be accessed at Scribd, ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE ; Parts 1, 2 and 3.When referencing the above material please cite ©, 2011, 2012, Stephen Quayle, Raiders News Update, Sue Bradley
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    COMING THIS WEEK by Sabine Vlaming

    “SYNTHIA,’ the Gulf of Mexico
    The Plot Thickens
    A known neurotoxic marine poisoning substance, named Tetrodotoxinand found in marine animals such as the puffer fish, has been documented to have been found in the same powder used in Haiti for purposeful zombification.
    Tetrodotoxin is one of the deadliest poisons known to man. Easily five hundred times more powerful than cyanide, tetrodotoxin binds to the sodium channels on the nerve cell membrane, blocking transmission of the nervous impulse. It can induce a state of suspended animation almost indistinguishable from death.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~This page will be updated with links as more reports of bizarre and/or cannibalistic behavior are provided. Included will be the increasing number of Necrotizing Fasciitis (flesh-eating bacteria) reports.Every effort will be made to first verify sources through multiple news entries and publications. ZombieVirus.org Tracking & Reporting the Global Epidemic Cover-up ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~RECENT INCIDENTS, EVENTS and INSIGHTSYour Guide to Zombie Parasite Journalism Discover Magazine, June 5, 2012Krokodil takes toll on Russian Addicts WARNING GRAPHIC YouTube, 6 min.The Curse of the Crocodile: Russia’s Deadly Designer Drug“Crocodile’ – Ukraine’s New Drug ThreatRussian Drug Epidemic “Krokodil” Turns It’s Users into Zombies WARNING GRAPHIC You TubeKROKODIL EPIDEMIC: Desomorphine Warning WARNING GRAPHIC YouTube 2:13‘Krokodil’ Seducing Russian Drug AddictsIslamic Holy Man and Wife Jailed for Mutilating Genitals of Their Four Daughters$500,000 in stolen pathology equipment may have flesh eating substance in FloridaFlorida Man Dies of Flesh Eating BacteriaFlorida Woman caught performing sex act on herself by side of highway is arrested only wearing only a shirt and exposing herself to passing motorists: bites officerMan Beheads Wife On Roof in BerlinBritish Grandmother Beheaded in Grocery Store on Canary Islandsnote:The Canary Islands,The Chesapeake Bay and the Pyrenees Mountains (Basque-ETA) are ancient Atlantean Outposts“Bath Salts” addict filmed overdosing in shocking video: description that “Miami Cannibal” may have takenDark Matters: Twisted But True: Army of Zombie Cucumbers Discovery Science ChannelZombies?Russians developing mind-altering electromagnetic zombie gunNo Zombie Apocalypse? Not Today Anyway.Russia developing gun that turns people into zombies (seriously) Europe’s Zombie Parties (Political/Economic: enculturation/acculturation)Scientists find Extraterrtestrial Genes in Human DNA (related)Canadian Gay Porn Star “Cannibal” Luca Rocco Magnotta Arrested in Berlin “We catch fugitive cannibal playing war game online:” The Sun on Luka Magnotta trailTalk of ‘zombie apocalypse’ increases with gory incidentsZadooks: Falling Skies: The Complete First Season; Zombies Trump AliensHow to Engineer a Zombie Virus (Asia, 2010)Indonesian Zombie Photo: Real, Fake or Misunderstood? 2010Zombie Ritual from Indonesia: Woman Brought Back From the Dead” real or hoax? YouTube, 2010 3:27Austrian Parliament, The Green Alternative: KinderFlesh 2011, German language YouTube 5:52 WARNING GRAPHICMysterious Illness Strikes Children in Uganda: Turns Children Into Violent Zombies
    World Health Organization is on high alert YouTube, 2:44
    This Isn’t Funny Anymore! Is There Real Zombie Apocalypse?Zombie Apocalypse Spreading: Twitter talk: public fears daw of the deadZombie Apocalypse Spreading Fear Before Transit of VenusZombie Apocalypse:’ Horror movie genre becomes twisted real life news headlinesThe Zombie Apocalypse vs The Diamond Jubilee: Pick a SideZombies, Rabies and Synthentic Genomics, YouTube video, from 2009‘Zombie Apocalypse’ trending as bad news spreads quickly CNNCPAs Face Challenge In Early Stage of Zombie Apocalypse Forbes Zombie Apocalypse and the ‘bath salts’ link: 34 states already impacted per DEA“I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh, and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine.”New WineskinsRevealed: Victim of Canadian porn star cannibal is Chinese gay lover; police reveal murderer’ is on the run in France dressed as a woman.Zombie Apocalypse: CDC speaks out as ‘Walking Dead’-like incidents grow‘Zombie apocalypse’ incident in NJ caused SWAT team to be decontaminatedTop 5 true-life cannibal talesZombie Apocalypse 2012: Celebrities Channel Their Inner Zombies‘Zombie Attack’ Spot Added to History Miami Museum TourMan Accused of Eating Wife’s LipsZombie Apocalypse: CDC Denies Existence of Zombies Despite Cannibal IncidentsLast month’s solar flare created a mysterious pulse on Earth that seemed to ‘answer’ sun’s blastMay, 2012 5 Alien Parasites and Their Real-World Counterparts LiveScienceZombies of Europe (the photos are demonstrative of the massive global conditioning: in the most ‘sacred’ sites of Europe)Chernobyl Zombies? Chernobyl HIV? Chernobyl Forever?Cannibal on run after chopping up man warned ‘The Sun,’ “I can’t stop killing.” UKZombie Proof Condos Sell Out TG DailyScientists use satellites to track super flares on Sun-like Stars LA TimesMermaid Body Discovered, Zombie Apocalypse, Radioactive Tuna Reveals Mayans Doomsday WarningsStudent Admits to Eating Missing Man’s Dismembered Body Parts CBS, BaltimoreThe “Dracula bulb: Designer creates eerie lamp that runs on human bloodUniversity of Miami: “ZOMBIE ATTACK Disaster Preparedness Simulation Exercise #5 (DR5)
    Infectious Disease Researcher Shot Dead; What Did She Know That ‘They’ Don’t Want Us To Know? You Don’t Want To Know!
    Zombie Rabies Virus Develop By NATO : Dr. Rebecca Carley on Alex JonesYouTube, 10:19

    April, 2012
    The First Zombie-Proof House
    Baffling Illness Strikes Africa, Turns Children into “Mindless “Zombies”
    Russia developing a gun that turns people into zombies (seriously)
    Reality check on Russia’s ‘zombie ray gun’ programpsychotronic weaponry

    January, 2012
    Managing the unimaginable. Regulatory responses to the challenges posed by synthetic biology and synthetic genomics.NCBI
    Zombie Mother Kills Then Eats Her Infant Son’s BrainShould We Take Zombie Apocalypse Threats Seriously?Ready for Doomsday: Some of our neighbors are The Virginia PilotMarch, 2012Intro to Catastrophe: Solar Flare Zombies© CNBC, March, 2012
    There’s a new zombie in town — sun-eye zombies, and they’re a brain-eating byproduct of solar flares.
    Michigan State University, Summer 2012 Online Electives: Surviving the Coming Zombie Apocalypse “Catastrophes and Human BehaviorSurviving the Coming Zombie Apocalypse “Catastrophes and Human Behavior”(Trailer) 2:05 min.2011Race, Oppression and the Zombie: Essays on Cross-Cultural Appropriations of the Caribbean Tradition Google Book Preview, © C. Moreman and Cory James Rushton 2011Inside zombie brains: Sci-fi teaches science. CNN April, 2011British royalty dined on human flesh: But don’t worry, it was 300 years ago Daily Mail, UK, Thinking and Driving: “Zombies and Solar Flares” YouTube video, June, 2011Biochemistry of Zombification, Bio 100/M. Dalbey UCSC, Fall 2011Zombie Worm Discovered in Mediterranean Whale Bone “sign of Jonah?”Zombie Colony RoanokeAre Zombie Brains Magnetized?Zombie Like Animals2010Zombie Virus Attacks Millions of Smart PhonesThe Disease That Makes People Zombies BBC News, 2005Zombie Virus Now Real YouTube, from BBC News Health, 2005Earlier publicationsTexas Makes Zombie Fire Ants (2009)Scientists Create Zombie Cockroaches (2007)Clinical findings in three cases of zombification Lancet, 1997
    _______________

    NINE Best U.S. places to survive the apocalypse
    The Closing of Zombie Awareness Month, 2012 sees real-life zombie attack via drug-induced psychosis.
    Zombie Ants Saved by Fungus-Castrating Fungus

    Did zombies roam medieval Ireland? Sleep on it MSNBC, 2011Mind Controlling Parasites Date Back Thousands of Years Live Science, 2010
    ‘BioTerror Bible: Exposing the coming global pandemic” (may be downloaded as pdf)
    Recent Social “Incarnation of Hunger”World War Z, (2013, tentative)I Am Legend 2, “Terror Has a New Face” (2013, tentative)Hunger Games, 2012I Am Legend, 2007 _________________________________________________
    The CDC website has assorted materials and publications related to “Zombie Preparedness.”Included is a Zombie Pandemic “Novella” which is available for online reading or download.
    Pub Number Item Description Language
    Limit Order
    22-1057 Preparedness 101: Zombie Pandemic
    Download PDF
    English
    Download Only

    22-0893 Preparedness 101: Get a Kit, Large Poster (24×36)- Folded
    Download PDF
    English
    Download Only

    22-0894 Preparedness 101: Get a Kit, Small Poster (18×24)- Folded
    Download PDF
    English
    Download Only

    22-0895 Preparedness 101: Don’t be a Zombie, Large Poster (24×36)- Folded
    Download PDF
    English
    Download Only

    22-0896 Preparedness 101: Don’t be a Zombie, Small Poster (18×24)- Folded
    Download PDF
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  2. #1932
    Senior Member AirborneSapper7's Avatar
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    The ‘Big Reset’ Is Coming: Here Is What To Do

    Just owning gold will (most probably) be not good enough for the ‘BIG RESET’.

    (Food, water, survival equipment, friends and if possible a remote farm & a self-sustainable lifestyle, …….)

    - The ‘Big Reset’ Is Coming: Here Is What To Do (ZeroHedge, June 7, 2012):

    A week ago, Zero Hedge first presented the now viral presentation by Raoul Pal titled “The End Game.” We dubbed the presentation scary because it was: in very frank terms it laid out the reality of the current absolutely unsustainable situation while pulling no punches. Yet some may have misread the underlying narrative: Pal did not predict armageddon. Far from it: he forecast the end of the current broken economic, monetary, and fiat system… which following its collapse will be replaced with something different, something stable. Which, incidentally, is why the presentation was called a big “reset”, not the big “end.” But what does that mean, and how does one protect from such an event? Luckily, we have another presentation to share with readers, this time from Eidesis Capital, given at the Grant’s April 11 conference, which picks up where Pal left off. Because if the Big Reset told us what is coming, Eidesis tells us how to get from there to the other side…
    First of all, what is systemic risk?
    Typical Systemic Risks:

    • Wide-spread defaults, sovereign debt crises, devaluations, capital controls, bank holidays, etc.

    How it usually happens:

    • No warning;
    • Emergency announcement over a weekend;
    • Drastic measures to “protect the public” against [insert suitable culprits];
    • Outcome- someone’s value gets expropriated.

    Yes, it can happen here –it has in the past.
    Usually, the best warning indicator of a major systemic “event” are soaring cross-asset correlations: something we are experiencing right now.

    • Crisis of 2007-2009 was a “High Correlation” disruption:
      • Multiple institutions and majority of the population were affected.

    • Reducing systemic risk called for lowering correlation, i.e. “firebreaks”, de-coupling, etc.
    • Instead, governments’actions since 2008 have been increasing correlation:
    • Fiscal Policies –sovereign debts are higher than ever and still growing fast;
      • Monetary Policies –broken price mechanism = system-wide misallocations and mispricings;
      • Too-Big-To-Fail –bigger than before the crisis;
      • Euro Zone Crisis –“solutions” keep increasing interconnectedness – a “mutual suicide” pact;
      • Financial Regulation –was supposed to reduce the risk but stalled through stiff opposition:
        • A single JP Morgan trader is reported to run $100 bln CDS book?!?!?!?!?! [ZH: now confirmed, and we all know the story since]

      • Lack of Transparency –more opacity since the crisis; mark-to-market remains suspended.


    Everyone knows this but only few are willing to accept the implications; fewer still are willing to act.
    What are the key systemic risks:

    • The already unfolding crises:
      • The Euro zone, Argentina.

    • Redistribution of wealth:
      • ZIRP –Taking from net savers for the benefit of net debtors.
      • Inflation targeting –Debasing debts at the expense of savers and bond holders.
      • Pending tax hikes for top earners.

    • Financial Marshall law:
      • FBAR and FATCA raise penalties and tighten reporting on all financial assets held offshore.
      • Argentina –Currency controls; “Dollar-sniffing”dogs at the airports and border crossings.

    • Governments co opt banks to police the assets within the system:
      • FATCA – all foreign financial institutions to report on all US customers or face 30% withholding.
      • Swiss banks have been firing US clients; deal on reporting is inthe works.
      • Swiss banks have agreed to report on their German and UK customers’accounts.


    FINANCIAL REPRESSION IS AN ARRAY OF POLICY TOOLS THAT PRECLUDE CAPITAL FLIGHT AND ENABLE WEALTH TRANSFER FROM THE SAVERS TO THE DEBTORS
    What to look for:

    • There are always losers and winners –many more losers than winners.
    • Majority has “normalcy bias” – tendency to underestimate risk of disaster.
    • Only a few heed the risks and make proper contingency arrangements.
    • Historically, financial disaster preparedness has enabled accelerated wealth creation.

    Systemic Insurance is the only way to protect wealth from “High Correlation” events.
    But more than anything, the one biggest giveaway is near endless complacency: the more the pros exhibit it, the closer we are:

    • Western economies have enjoyed V-shaped recoveries and domestic peace for over 65 years.
    • Mainstream investors have never experienced a “reset” or repression, financial or political.
    • Disdain for history and post-WWII Western exceptionalismunderpin collective hubris:
      • “There can be few fields of human endeavor in which history counts for so little as in the world of finance.Past experience, to the extent that it is part of memory at all, is dismissed as the primitive refuge of the those who do not have insight to appreciate the incredible wonders of the present.” – John K. Galbraith


    Complacency is misplaced – despite apparent normality, the risks are high and growing.
    One simple example of the true cost of systemic risks in vitro:

    • Analyze This: Crisis of September 2008 Without The Bailouts = ? $$,$$$,$$$,$$$,$$$

    What’s the big deal: they bailed us out before, they will do it again.
    Wrong: “Due to massive new debts and politics governments’ capacity for future bailouts is limited.
    Which means that systemic hedges should be used by everyone. At what cost though:

    • Price of Systemic Insurance = Probability of Disruption X Potential Loss Severity

    As Eidesis notes: Insurance is cheap whenever consensus under?estimates the Probability of Disruption.
    Or, worse, when the status quo is artificially keeping the price of systemic insurance low to prevent the general public from realizing just how precarious reality truly is. Remember:

    • “When it becomes serious, you have to lie” Jean-Claude Junker

    So if we are handed cheap insurance options, where should we be looking? Long-time Zero Hedge readers likely already know the answer:
    SAFE HAVEN ASSETS –KEY REQUIREMENTS

    • Ideal Attributes – Valuable, uniform, divisible, portable, storable.
    • No One’s Liability–Physical form, unlevered, non-financial custody; no reliance on capital markets.
    • Multiple Exit Strategies – Diversity of buyers; ability to exit via different currencies.
    • Geographic Diversification ? The only feasible way to manage sovereign risks.
    • Flexibility – Ownership arrangements must be actively managed to address evolving conditions

    Exposure to Safe Haven assets via financial instruments IS NOT Systemic Insurance
    SAFE HAVEN ASSETS –DEFENSIVE, LONG TERM STRATEGY

    • Proven Safe Havens for preserving value through the “trough” of a crisis:
    • Real Estate – “Real” but immovable; not uniform, usually owned with leverage; easily taxable.
    • Diamonds – Valuable, portable and storable but neither uniform nor divisible.
    • Art, Antiques, Collectables – Issues with subjective valuations, authenticity and provenance.

    ART, ANTIQUES AND COLLECTABLES HAVE BEEN PROVEN HIGHLY EFFECTIVE IN PRESERVING VALUE OVER TIME. HOWEVER, ABILITY TO OBTAIN FAIR VALUE IN TIMES OF DISTRESS IS OFTEN LIMITED.
    Which leaves…

    • Precious Metals can preserve value through a crisis AND provide liquidity during a crisis:
    • Silver–“Poor Man’s Gold” but impractical for large sums.
    • Platinum –The bullion is not as readily available as gold.
    • Palladium –Somewhat esoteric.

    GOLD –Always liquid, widely available, universally accepted, deepest markets, global pricing
    Gold – 2,500-year unbroken track record of liquidity and “Safe Haven” performance.
    But don’t take our word for it… Or that of Eidesis. How about that of… the Federal Reserve:
    Here is the FRBNY explaining why people own gold:

    • “For centuries, gold had a profound impact on history, as a symbol and a storehouse of wealth accepted universally around the world.“
    • “When people are worried about political instability, war or inflation, they often put their savings into gold.”
    • “Gold functions as a medium of exchange, particularly in areas where currencies are distrusted.”

    Why the US government nationalized gold:

    • The 1933 prohibition against gold ownership “prevented hoarders from profiting after Congress devalued the dollar (in terms of gold)”by 41%.

    ACCORDING TO THE NY FED –GOLD IS A “PHENOMENAL ASSET” AND AN “IMPORTANT STORE OF VALUE”
    GOLD NATIONALIZATION OF 1933 PRECLUDED THE SAVERS FROM PROTECTING THE VALUE OF THEIR ASSETS
    What else does the Fed tell us:
    THE FED –WE STORE FOR OTHERS; OUR OWN IS OUTSIDE THE BANKS!

    • “As of early 2008, the Fed’s vault contained roughly 216 million troy ounces of gold“–“about 22 percent of the world’s official monetary gold reserves.”
    • “The United States owns approximately 27 percentof the monetary gold”–“262 million troy ounces as of 2007.”
    • “A majority of [the U.S.] reserves is held <…> at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and West Point, New York. Most of the remainder is at the Denver and Philadelphia Mints and the San Francisco Assay Office.”

    WATCH WHAT THEY DO; NOT WHAT THEY SAY:
    THE U.S. GOVERNMENT STORES ITS GOLD WITH THE MILITARY, NOT THE BANKS.
    APPROXIMATELY 49% OF ALL MONETARY GOLD IS PHYSICALLY LOCATED ON THE U.S. SOIL.
    Which means that as we approach the date with the Grand Reset which Raoul Pal predicted could come as soon as the end of the year, and which Soros has as under 3 months and counting, there is only one question:
    Do You Have Systemic Insurance?

    Full Eidesis Presentation:

    Eidesis Capital


    http://www.infiniteunknown.net/2012/...is-what-to-do/

    Last edited by AirborneSapper7; 06-09-2012 at 01:30 AM.
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  3. #1933
    Senior Member AirborneSapper7's Avatar
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    ‘Only Hobbit Hole Company in the World’: Husband-Wife Team Make Tolkien Homesteads

    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 10:21pm

    by Liz Klimas
    Comments (2)


    Rocy Pillsbury and his wife Melissa, you might say, are avid J.R. Tolkien fans. According to Fair Companies, when they had children, they decided to build a “hobbit hole” playhouse for them with the intention of marketing it to others as well. What they found though was adults were just as interested in procuring their own Tolkien-inspired homesteads.

    (Image: Wooden Wonders)

    The pair began the company Wooden Wonders, which Fair Companies notes is licensed by Middle Earth Enterprises, to build the structures as chicken coops, sheds, playhouses and guest cottages. Wooden Wonders, Melissa says, is the “only hobbit hole company in the world.”

    (Related: Want to see the human-size hobbit house that costs less than $5,000 to build?)

    Melissa explains that they build both subterranean — a more expensive variety – and above-ground hobbit holes. She says their interpretation of how the hobbit homes look are an “intersection of practicality of what you can practically build and that imaginary aspect of what the mind’s eye created and applying that to what can be made into an actual structure.”

    Chicken coop hobbit hole. (Image: Wooden Wonders)


    (Image: Wooden Wonders)

    According to Fair Companies, the hobbit holes by the Maine-based builders go for about $1,000 up to $20,000 for a larger luxurious version. The chicken coops start at $999 and a 16-foot diameter, 8-foot 2-inch-tall cottage with insulation, finished flooring and windows range from $15,000 to $20,000. Their largest custom hobbit hole is about 200 square feet.


    (Image: Wooden Wonders)

    (Image: Wooden Wonders)

    “The idea of a hobbit hole isn’t really age specific,” Melissa said. “It’s something unique and people like seeing something different in kind of a cookie-cutter world where we just see a lot of the same things repeated all the time.”

    Check out Fair Companies’ footage of the hobbit holes:



    ‘Wooden Wonders’Creates Hobbit Hole-Like Chicken Coops, Sheds and Guest Cottages | Video | TheBlaze.com
    Last edited by AirborneSapper7; 06-08-2012 at 11:07 PM.
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  4. #1934
    Senior Member AirborneSapper7's Avatar
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    The Government’s Boots on the Ground When It Hits the Fan May Be Your Neighbors

    Prepared Pastor
    June 4th, 2012
    Single Focus Church
    Comments (275)
    Read by 19,222 people

    This article has been shared with the SHTFplan community by long time contributor and emergency response professional Prepared Pastor.

    It had been several years since I left my positions on the city fire department and county HAZMAT team to move to the mountain state to teach wilderness survival and firearms, but I still missed being an emergency responder. Especially after moving to town when I got married and started a family. When a friend asked me to join him at a CERT training session, all I knew was that it was an acronym for Community Emergency Response Team. A rational person would think that meant it was about becoming part of a team within my community that responded to emergencies. A rational person would be mistaken. Sure, the training covered the basics of first aid, emergency preparedness, fire safety, light search and rescue, etc., but lacked the depth of a boy scout merit badge on those topics. I could not help wondering why FEMA would spend so many of our tax dollars to duplicate duties that, in my professional experience, the American Red Cross and other nonprofit organizations provide for free.

    I left the first day of training thinking that CERT, like many other government bureaucracies was just another hole the federal government pours money into hoping it will leach into productivity. I was tempted not to complete the training, but not being a quitter and already halfway to earning a really neat emergency response kit to add to the plethora of gear collected over a lifetime in emergency services, I resigned myself to spending another beautiful Saturday in a folding metal chair or aiming an electronic fire extinguisher at digital flames (we actually did this).

    I was surprised to find that this particular CERT team had never actually responded to an emergency. They were put on alert once which the commander was quite excited to talk about. He told us one day CERT volunteers could be paired with uniformed emergency responders when an incident required additional manpower. Another surprise was the speaker they brought in from the U.S. Department of Justice on the final day. The first words out of his mouth were a question, “Are there any militia members or white supremacists here?” While we sat there in stunned silence he continued to explain there was nothing wrong with belonging to a militia or being a white supremest as long as one did not did so within the confines of the law. “If men want to dress up and run around in the woods practicing their First Amendment right, I have no problem with that” he said. He then spent the next couple hours describing the types of behavior he did have a problem with and how militias and other organizations had been infiltrated, enticed to engage in illegal activities, and prosecuted for thinking they had done so. After several engaging tales of covert operations it was time for the real purpose of his lecture for which he prepared his only hand-out, Homeland Security Terrorist Indicators. It provided contact information for the USDOJ and FBI offices serving our area and instructed us to call them anytime we saw ‘suspicious activity’ which included, but was not limited to:

    Individual’s residence contains little or no furniture Photographing or videotaping in public places such as malls Ownership of police manuals, military training manuals, flight manuals, radio scanners, or other communications equipment Presence of weapons such as knives, pistols, rifles, etc. in a residence.

    Attached to the extensive list was a reminder that these were just a few possible indicators and if it doesn’t feel right, report it! BUT do not disclose to anyone that you did. During his talk, he verbally added to the list several common items including 100# propane cylinders. When I indicated that I had a couple of those lying in my yard until I could get them filled and returned to my cabin, he replied that my neighbors had probably called the FBI on me and that they investigate every report. If my neighbors did report my ‘suspicious behavior’ (which I doubt) then I either have an FBI file or an addition to my existing file.

    In July 2010, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), at Secretary Janet Napolitano’s direction, launched a national “If You See Something, Say Something™” public awareness campaign –a simple and effective program to raise public awareness of indicators of terrorism and violent crime, and to emphasize the importance of reporting suspicious activity to the proper state and local law enforcement authorities. While CERT teams predate this campaign by 25 years, the evidence is overwhelming that the program has been realigned to confirm to that mantra. Other than public relations/recruiting activities, the only service opportunity presented since I joined was entering surveillance data during a large community event.

    If you are concerned about the federal government spending your tax dollars to train your neighbors to spy on you, the shadow army they are building through their Incident Command System should keep you up at night. It includes 428,500 men and women trained (as per the 2012 National Preparedness Report) and organized into local units. Units which have established call-out procedures for emergency response that will work just as well when the emergency is you. Sure, there are those who will refuse to respond (I will be at my retreat), but many will submit to the National Defense Resource Preparedness executive order signed by Barak Obama on March 16, 2012 which redefined authority expanded under the 2009 re-authorization of The Defense Production Act of 1950. The executive order makes it crystal clear that any labor deemed necessary in a state of emergency may be conscripted at the discretion of the government.

    In summary:

    • Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) are trained and instructed to identify and report ‘suspicious behavior’ to the FBI and other authorities.
    • CERT volunteers are being actively used in covert surveillance activities.
    • CERT volunteers are organized to work with local and federal law enforcement agencies.
    • CERT volunteers may be forced into service in the event of a national emergency.


    It is not the purpose of this article to tell you whether or not to join a CERT Team. The training is beneficial to newbies. The free meals and emergency kit are quite nice. At least with our team it is acceptable to get trained and equipped and not go through the credentialing process to be called out during emergencies. It could not hurt to have a county ID and CERT uniform (helmet and vest) if caught on the road WTSHTF. However, their threat to your personal privacy today and, in a worst case scenario, your personal liberty tomorrow must be disclosed. Those who question how authorities would know where to confiscate unregistered guns under martial law can expect their neighbors to rat them out and quite possibly accompany law enforcement to their homes.


    About Prepared Pastor:

    Before entering the ministry, I was a firefighter, HAZMAT, confined space, and rope rescue technician. I also taught wilderness survival and shooting sports for the BSA. An experienced author and speaker, I have spoken on emergency preparedness at churches and secular conferences.

    The Government's Boots on the Ground When It Hits the Fan May be Your Neighbors

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  5. #1935
    Senior Member AirborneSapper7's Avatar
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    King Kong Ain’t Got #$@% On My Horsetail Sleeping Pad: Don’t let Mother Nature suck the life out of you


    April 9, 2012 By Creek



    Thank you Denzel for that perfect introduction. If you are in a Survival Situation and someone steals your Therma-Rest – not all hope is lost!
    I’d like to start this post with the definition of CONDUCTION:
    con·duc·tion : [kuhn-duhk-shuhn] : noun - the transfer of heat between substances that are in direct contact with each other


    For the purpose of this post, those 2 substances are YOUR BODY and THE GROUND. If the ground it colder than your body and you lay on it, it will SUCK THE LIFE right out of you like a blood-thirsty vampire. This is certainly a recipe for hypothermia. In cold weather survival scenarios (and any scenario for that matter), there should always be a layer of protection & insulation between your body and the cold earth. You probably won’t have a modern closed cell foam sleeping pad in a sudden survival scenario.

    Don’t Worry – Mother Nature has your back covered – literally!


    When it comes to insulating your back-side, Mother Nature has you covered. You can use a variety of natural materials as a sleeping ground pad. Below is a short list:

    • Grasses
    • Leaves
    • Tree Branch Boughs – evergreen branches work great – when you stack them on top of each other alternate how you lay them


    Just seeing that picture makes me want to take a nap.
    I wrote this post, though, about a very specific plant that makes an incredible sleeping insulation pad. It takes a little more effort than an leaf bed or bough bed but would be worth the time in an extended survival scenario and is the closest match I can think of to modern closed-cell foam technology. This plant is the Horsetail.

    Horsetail is a very interesting plant. It is comprised of sections and resembles mini bamboo except it isn’t hard like bamboo. It looks like an ancient plant you would see in a Jurasic Park movie. I’ve only ever seen it growing at the edge of or near water. You can’t miss it – there is no other plant like it.
    Horsetail grows from 2-4 feet tall and is hollow. I’ve used it as a blow-tube before for making coal burned containers. You can compress it with your fingers and it pops back into shape. It’s springy and spongy and when you gather several of them together, you can easily make a nice foam-like pad. Below, see how I’ve used Horsetail to make a long term survival sleeping pad.
    First, I gathered a huge batch of horsetail plants – cutting them off at the base.

    Then, I made fist-full sized bundles.

    And tied them together at both ends using natural cordage from the Rafia Palm. You can also use dried grasses or cattail leaves.

    Here are several bundles tied together.

    And more…

    Now if I needed to travel with this sleeping pad I could have gone the extra mile and lashed these sections together. For my purposes, though, this wasn’t necessary. I used these to make a full body sleeping pad on a raised bed in a primitive shelter I built here at Willow Haven.



    I kid you not that this Horsetail sleeping pad is more comfortable than ANY closed-cell foam pad I have ever used.


    CONCLUSION

    This big lesson in this post is not about HORSETAIL. It’s really about the concept of a GROUND PAD. Regardless of what it is you decide to use in a cold weather survival scenario, make sure that you put something with some insulation value between your body and the cold Earth. She will suck the life right out of you.
    Remember, it’s not IF but WHEN,
    Creek

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    About Willow Haven Outdoor & Creek StewartCreek Stewart is the Owner and Lead Instructor at Willow Haven Outdoor - a leading Survival and Preparedness Training Facility located on 21-acres in Central Indiana. For more information on Survival Courses and Clinics offered at WHO, click HERE. Creek is also author of the new book Build the Perfect Bug Out Bag: Your 72-Hour Disaster Survival Kit. His book is currently available for preorder on AMAZON.COM for only $11.20 - LIMITED TIME ONLY. If you enjoy Creek's Blog Posts, you will also enjoy his new book. You can contact Creek directly at creek@willowhavenoutdoor.com.

    King Kong Ain’t Got #$@% On My Horsetail Sleeping Pad: Don’t let Mother Nature suck the life out of you |
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    This one’s for the ladies! Improvised Purse Survival


    June 6, 2012 By Creek 1 Comment



    When I was a boy I can remember when my Mom would dump the contents of her purse on the kitchen table a couple times a year for a thorough (and much needed) cleaning. I couldn’t believe all the stuff she would accumulate in her purse over the course of a few months! It was always a mystery what was going to spill out onto the table. My brother and I would anxiously watch for any random candy pieces that might scatter. Mom’s ‘MYSTERY PURSE DUMP’ is my inspiration for this post – except now I pretty much look at everything through a survival colored lens. So you know where this is headed…

    So the photo above is probably representative of an average “MYSTERY PURSE DUMP” – give or take a few 100 items
    Can the contents of an average purse be used (directly or indirectly) to meet basic human survival needs? Let’s explore and see.

    ————————————————————————————————————————————— ———–
    DENTAL FLOSS


    My Mom always had a spool of waxed dental floss. This is some serious cordage. The spool pictured above contains 55 YARDS of floss – DANG! Waxed floss is incredibly strong – surprisingly strong actually. Some flosses have a tensile strength of nearly 20 pounds! It can have 100s of uses to a survivor. Below are just a few ideas that come to mind:

    • Fishing line (also detailed below)
    • Lashing cordage (also detailed below)
    • Snare lines
    • I guarantee I can make a bow-string out of dental floss – note to self – TRY THIS!
    • Tent tie downs
    • Cordage for lashing shelter frameworks
    • Sewing and/or gear repairs
    • Clothes line
    • Hang a Bear Bag!
    • Wrap and whip other rope ends to prevent fraying
    • And the list goes ON AND ON…




    Hand Sanitizer, Chap Stick & Bic Lighter


    These 3 items all have something in common. Each are excellent FIRE MAKING TOOLS! Whether you smoke or not, a BIC lighter is an excellent piece of survival kit to keep on hand. Hand sanitizer is not only a great personal hygiene item (which is also very important to survival) but it is also a very effective accelerant when starting fires. It burns fast but it can help in a pinch – especially in damp conditions. Chap stick and Lip Balm are outstanding FIRE EXTENDERS. I’ve done a post on this already – YOU SHOULD READ IT HERE. Mix this stuff with fluffy fire tinder such as cattail down and you’ve got an amazing fire starting aid.

    MAKE-UP MIRROR


    Almost every girl has one of these in their purse. Mirrors are the quintessential signaling tool and still used around the globe as an emergency rescue tool. A reflective flash from a signal mirror can be seen for miles by a rescue team – air, water or land. There is an art to effectively ‘aiming’ the flash from a signal mirror. It all starts with the peace sign.

    Place your target (a rescue plane for example) in the V of your peace sign. Then, holding the signal mirror back toward your face, flash the sun’s reflection across your fingers back and forth – always keep your target in between them. You will be able to see the reflection on your hand – confirming to you that the reflection is flashing in the direction of your target. See the reflection on my hand below?

    Signal mirrors can even be used with the light from a bright moon. They are incredibly effective survival signaling tools and have saved many lives throughout history. What other reflective objects can you think of besides a make-up mirror?


    Feminine Hygiene Products


    If you’ve not read my SURVIVAL TAMPON POST, read that here: Yes, that’s a Tampon in my mouth : The Swiss Army Survival Tampon : 7 Survival Uses | I’ve even added a few survival uses EXCLUSIVELY for Artofmanliness.com in an article here: Yes, That’s a Tampon in My Mouth: The Swiss Army Survival Tampon — 10 Survival Uses | The Art of Manliness Tampons make excellent:

    • Improvised first aid bandages
    • Crude water filters
    • Fire tinder


    Hair Clips and Bobby Pins


    These look almost exactly like items in my fishing tackle box. Either can be fashioned into a crude improvised fishing lure or fish hook. If you bend them in one spot repeatedly the metal will eventually break. Don’t forget your dental floss line. Scratch up some live bait and you’ve got some pretty descent chances of landing a fish or frog.

    I found that wrapping the bottom bends of the hooks made them almost impossible to bend out flat. I couldn’t do it with all my strength so there is no way a fish can bend it out. I hope Blue Gill like MINT FLAVOR!

    CELL PHONE


    Whether working or busted a cell phone is an incredible survival resource. I’ve done a couple of posts on this already that you should read if you haven’t already: Survival By Cellphone |
    I’m currently working on a very detailed post about BUSTED CELL PHONE SURVIVAL SKILLS that I am sure you will enjoy – look out for it soon!

    Tweezers & Nail File


    Women keep all kinds of little working tools of the trade in their purses. Of these, my favorites have to be TWEEZERS and NAIL FILES. These just look like little weapons and I love any kind of weapon. After a little thought, I determined that both of them would make excellent frog and fish gigs… so I went to work.


    I used a 1 inch willow sapling for the gig shaft and tapered down the end. Then, I split the end and fitted it with the gig tip (either tweezers or nail file). Waxed dental floss made the perfect lashing cordage and held the hardware on surprisingly well. I’ve gigged many a frog in my life and I have no doubt what so ever that this would be a very effective frog (or fish) gig. These tweezer points are really sharp!




    CONCLUSION

    So, what’s the lesson here. There are 2 actually. First, it’s another look at creatively using everyday items as survival tools to meet basic human survival needs. Innovation is at the CORE of survival. Whether the end use is practical or not, it’s important to always challenge yourself to think creatively about products and items – TRAIN YOUR BRAIN. Second, pack actual SURVIVAL TOOLS in your purse. Don’t rely on improvising. Heck, you’re already lugging it around anyway. Toss in a few light-weight survival items just in case.
    So, ladies, what did I miss? Anything else that can be used as survival tools in YOUR purse?
    Remember, it’s not IF but WHEN,
    Creek

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    About Willow Haven Outdoor & Creek StewartCreek Stewart is the Owner and Lead Instructor at Willow Haven Outdoor - a leading Survival and Preparedness Training Facility located on 21-acres in Central Indiana. For more information on Survival Courses and Clinics offered at WHO, click HERE. Creek is also author of the new book Build the Perfect Bug Out Bag: Your 72-Hour Disaster Survival Kit. His book is currently available for preorder on AMAZON.COM for only $11.20 - LIMITED TIME ONLY. If you enjoy Creek's Blog Posts, you will also enjoy his new book. You can contact Creek directly at creek@willowhavenoutdoor.com.

    This one’s for the ladies! Improvised Purse Survival |
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    Sportsmen's Act Amendment to be Introduced in U.S. Senate

    Posted on June 8, 2012

    As previously reported, H.R. 4089--the "Sportsmen's Heritage Act of 2012"--passed the U.S. House of Representatives in April by a bipartisan vote of 274 to 146. The bill will protect and enhance opportunities for recreational hunting, fishing and shooting.

    H.R. 4089 was a compilation of four different bills: H.R. 1558, which amends the "Toxic Substances Control Act"; H.R. 3440, the "Recreational Shooting Protection Act"; H.R. 2834, the "Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage and Opportunities Act";and H.R. 991, the "Polar Bear Conservation and Fairness Act of 2011."We are pleased to announce that Sens. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and John Thune (R-S.D.) will be introducing similar legislation in the U.S. Senate next week as an amendment to the Senate farm bill. The Tester-Thune amendment (Amendment 2232) will contain most of the provisions from H.R. 4089, including:

    The "Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act": This section amends the Pittman-Robertson Act by adjusting the funding limitations. This allows states more funds, and for a longer period of time, for the creation and maintenance of shooting ranges. The bill encourages federal land agencies to cooperate with state and local authorities to maintain shooting ranges and limits liability for these agencies.

    The "Polar Bear Conservation and Fairness Act": This bill allows for the importation of polar bears legally taken from approved populations in Canada before the 2008 ban.

    The Hunting, Fishing and Recreational Shooting Protection Act: This section specifically excludes ammunition and fishing tackle from the "Toxic Substances Control Act," leaving decisions to state fish and game agencies and the Fish and Wildlife Service, rather than the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA has denied petitions to regulate tackle and ammo under TSCA in 1994 and again in 2011. This codifies that the EPA does not have the ability to regulate either type of item, but does not override local, state and other federal regulations.

    The amendment will also include:

    The "Recreational Lands Self Defense Act": This section would prohibit the Secretary of the Army from enforcing any regulation that keeps an individual from possessing firearms in Army Corps of Engineer Water Resource Development projects or facilities. This language would not change the current legal prohibition of guns and dangerous weapons in federal facilities, such as the Corps Headquarters, Engineering Research Facilities, and lock and dam buildings.

    The Army Corps owns 7.6 million acres and manages another 4.1 million acres, making it the largest federal provider of water-based outdoor recreation in the nation. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers property includes 400 lakes and river projects, 90,000 campsites and 4,000 miles of trails.

    In advance of next week's introduction, please be sure to contact your U.S. Senators and urge them to cosponsor and support the Tester-Thune amendment (Amendment 2232).

    You can find contact information for your U.S. Senators by using the "Write Your Representatives" tool at www.NRAILA.org. You may also contact your Senators by phone at (202) 224-3121.


    NRA-ILA | Sportsmens Act Amendment to be Introduced in U.S. Senate
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    Marksmanship Basics and Beyond, by Evan W.



    In a TEOTWAWKI situation, the ability to shoot accurately from a distance could be the difference between eating healthy high protein game, and not eating at all, or it could be the difference between protecting your loved ones, and being raided and attacked by bandits.


    Beyond just being able to shoot accurately, learning to be a marksman teaches focus, patience, determination, and consistency – valuable skills for any survivalist and in any survival situation.


    In marksmanship, the goal is to minimize the input of your body on the firing action of the gun. Imagine that you are relaxing your muscles and building a stack of solid, stable bones to rest your rifle on. The only muscular input should be the slow and steady squeezing of your trigger finger.


    Slings

    Contrary to popular believe among many recreational shooters and hunters, myself at one point included, the primary purpose of a sling is not to carry your rifle over your shoulder. The primary purpose of a sling is as a support to steady your rifle without the use of a tripod.


    There are several types of slings, and a lot of different ways to use them. I’ll go over two variations on how to use them. The first is fast and can be easily be transitioned to while on the move, while using the sling to carry your rifle. The second takes more time to set-up, but is much more accurate.


    While your sling is attached at two points, on the forestock and near the butt, pick up your with the sling loosely dangling over the outside of your forward arm. Slide the elbow of your forward arm into the sling and hold it at angle that puts tension on the sling and stabilizes the rifle. Adjust the length of your sling to get the right amount of tension.


    To set up a more accurate shot, remove the sling attachment from the butt of your rifle, slacken the sling inside the buckle and slide your forward arm through the loop created by loosening the buckle. You want to use this loop so that pulling on the rifle will tighten the loop and keep in it place. Place the loop as high on your arm as possible. Your forward hand should slide in between the sling and the forestock of the rifle, and when in position the sling should be taught against the back of your forward hand to create a secure position.


    Positions

    There are a variety of different positions that you can intelligently assume while firing a rifle. Your choice will largely depend on a combination of time and distance. The most accurate positions take more time to set up, and the least accurate positions take less time to set up. At shorter distances to your target, you are more likely to have been seen, and more likely to be in a hurry. At farther distances to your target you are more likely to be un-detected and have more time to set up your shot.


    If you are having any trouble lining up the sights while you are in any of these positions, you may need to check your eye dominance. Just because you are right handed doesn’t mean that you are right eye dominant. To test your dominance hold both hands out in front of you with your arms straight. Overlap the fingers of your right hand with the fingers of your left hand, and overlap the thumb of your right hand with the thumb of your left hand. There should be a hole that you can see through, put an object at a distance in that hole. With both eyes open, bring your hands closer to your face until your hands hit your face, keeping the object centered in the hole. Your hands should end up coming to one eye or the other. That eye is your dominant eye. If your dominant eye is your right eye, your right hand is your trigger hand. If your dominant eye is your left eye, your left hand is your trigger hand.


    There are two things that you should do in all positions. First, the forestock of the rifle rests on the open palm of your non-trigger hand. The rifle should rest more or less along the lifeline crease in your palm. You want to minimize your input on the rifle, gripping the forestock introduces unnecessary and unstable muscular support into your firing system. Second, crane your neck forward and place your cheek on the stock of the rifle. You should be in a good position to see the sights, and when the rifle recoils, your head should go up with the rifle, instead of the rifle bashing into your forehead. It’s especially obvious when someone with an improperly setup scope forgets to do this step, usually a newbie at the beginning of shooting season. They end up with a circular scope shaped cut on their forehead. Don’t let this be you, setup a consistent, safe, and repeatable position every time.


    The most basic shooting position is the standing position. In the standing position I like to put my feet a little bit wider than shoulder width, to make a good solid base. The elbow of your trigger arm should be up, and your trigger arm should be parallel to the ground. Try it. You’ll notice that as you lift your elbow, your shoulder creates a nice pocket to hold the butt of your rifle firmly in place. The last thing you want to happen is the rifle to slide off of your shoulder from recoil as it’s fired. Your shot will be terrible, and you might end up hurting yourself. Plant your foot on your trigger side. Pivot your front foot around to make adjustment left to right. To move altitude adjustments, move your front foot out and in, or adjust the placement of your hand on the forestock.


    The next shooting position is the sitting or kneeling position. There are a lot of variations in this position, and I recommend you practice getting up and down with your unloaded rifle to figure out what works best for you. The overall principles remain, create a solid stable base, with loads on your bones, not your muscles, to set your rifle on top of. I’ll go into the position I use the most, and is arguably the best sitting position. You will need to wiggle around and make adjustments to make any seated seated position work for you. Cross your feet with the trigger side foot in first. Ideally, your boots should support your legs in this position. The back of your upper arm, just above the elbows should rest on your thighs or knees. If you try to rest the pointy part of your elbow on your thighs or knees you’ll slide around it you won’t be able to fire a consistent shot. If you are having trouble getting into this position, begin to uncross your legs, and even put them out in front of you with your knees up in the air if you have to.


    The most accurate shooting position is known as the prone position, because you’ll be lying prone on your stomach in this position. Rest your elbows on the ground, and put your forward non-trigger elbow as directly under the stock of the rifle as possible to minimize horizontal movement. You’ll find that you shoot in a diagonal pattern when your elbow is not directly under the stock. Place your trigger-side elbow in a comfortable place that allows you to make a hand-shake grip on the trigger. The trigger-side leg should be bent up as high as possible, while your non-trigger-side leg should be straight in line with your body. This configuration will put you a bit on your side and create some space under your stomach so that your breathing doesn’t lift you off the ground and move your position around. Use your trigger-side elbow as your pivot point and move the rest of your body around to find your aim.


    Gun Safety

    Before we get into firing the rifle, no marksmanship survival guide would be complete without a gun safety lesson. If you aren’t handling your rifle safely, and accidentally injure yourself or those around you, you’ll be compromising your chances of survival.



    The most important thing to remember is never point the muzzle of your rifle at something that you are not prepared to destroy, be it a wall, plant, wildlife, or human. As long as you do this, you’ll be safe, even with an accidental misfire of the rifle.


    When your rifle is not in use, it should be unloaded, the bolt should be open, and there should ideally be a chamber flag in the chamber so it is clear and obvious that there are no rounds in the chamber or magazine.


    When your rifle is loaded, your finger should never be on the trigger until your sights are on the target.


    This is by no means a complete list of safety considerations, but basic guidelines to help keep you safe. It’s more intended as a reminder to people with shooting experience. If you have no shooting experience, I recommend getting some basic training at your local range or gun store.


    Steps to firing a shot

    The Appleseed firearms training organization does a really good job of breaking this down into six steps, the most important of which, and the one which will make you better than 95% of all other shooters out there is to squeeeeeeeeze (not pull) the trigger, and hold it back - more on that later.



    First step is sight alignment, how this actually looks will vary based on the types of sites you have. Basically, this means line up the front and rear sites while you are in a shooting position.


    Next, create a sight picture. Again, there are a few different ways you can do this, but I prefer the six o’clock hold. In a six o’clock hold you put the target directly above the front site. The benefit of putting the target above the sight is that you can always see the target, even when the target is 400 meters away. With a center-mass hold, with a target at 400 meters, your sight will likely cover the target, making it difficult to see when you are aiming high.


    Once you’ve got your sights aligned and a sight picture, it’s time for a respiratory pause. The best time to pause is at the bottom of your exhale. At this point in your respiratory cycle, your body is at its most relaxed and you will fire the most consistent shot.


    Next, focus your eye on the front sight while you focus your mind on keeping the front sight on the target. The saying here is “shoot the fuzz,” because your target will be fuzzy. Learn to get comfortable doing this. It’s the most accurate way to shoot, and one of the most difficult parts of firing a shot to master.


    Now you are ready to begin firing the shot. Start to squeeze the trigger with the pad of your index finger. It should be in more or less a “C” shape, and the only part of the trigger finger that should touch any part of the gun is the fingertip pad below the first knuckle. It’s common to catch beginners and experienced shooters alike, dragging the side of their finger along the stock, also known as, “dragging wood”. I say you are ready to “begin” firing the shot, because you never decide it’s time to shoot. If you are squeezing the trigger properly, the actual fire of the shot will be a surprise. It will just happen whenever you’ve squeezed enough to fire off the shot.


    Finally, just because you squeezed the trigger and the round is going off, doesn’t mean you are done. It takes time for the powder to burn, the gas to expand, and the bullet to leave the end of the rifle. During that time, you can’t be influencing the rifle or you will be throwing off all of the hard work you’ve put into the shot. So what do you do? Hold the trigger back! This possibly the single most important thing you can do. Keep the trigger in the pulled position until you are ready to fire again. And while you are doing that, look at your sights and call where your shot went. You might learn something.


    Natural Point of Aim

    Natural Point of Aim is the position your body is in when it is completely relaxed while holding the rifle. This is the direction the shot with fire naturally. It’s the most stable, consistent, and reliable position you can use over a course of fire. Any position where your muscles are used to keep the sights on target is not your natural point of aim, will not be as accurate, and will lead to unnecessary fatigue over the course of fire.


    The best way to find your natural point of aim is to get in position, put your sights on target, close your eyes, relax, take several deep breaths, and open your eyes again. If your sights are still on target, you are likely in your Natural Point of Aim. If not, adjust your body position until you are on target again, and repeat the process until you remain on target after closing your eyes and relaxing.


    One great way to test your Natural Point of Aim, that Appleseeders will certainly be familiar with, is “Carding the Sights”. You’ll need a friend to hold a credit card or driver license between your sights after you’ve lined up your sights on target, while you repeat the above drill but with your eyes open. You may find that you get more honest results this way, as you’re not subconsciously pulling the sights back on target.

    Marksmanship Basics and Beyond, by Evan W. - SurvivalBlog.com
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